A beginner's guide to Japji Sahib: Pauri 20 to 23

 

bharee-yai,  hath  pair  tan  deh.
When one’s hands, feet, and body are dirty,

paa-Nee  Dhoh-tai,  ut-rass  kheh.
then water is used to wash away the dirt.

mooth  palee-tee,  kapaR  ho-e.
When one’s clothes become dirty and stained by urine,

dey  saa-booN,  leyee-yai  oh  Dhoh-e.
then soap is used to wash them clean.

bharee-yai  math  paa-paa  kai  sang.
When the mind becomes filled with sins,

oh  Dhoh-pai,  naa-vai  kai  rang.
then the love for the Name of Vaheguru Ji is used to clean it.

punn-ee  paa-pee,  aa-khaN  naa-eh.
Virtue (goodness) and sins are not only words.

kar  kar  kar-Naa,  likh  lai  jaa-hu.
At the end (when we die) the soul will take with it the record of one’s acted actions (good or bad).

aa-pey  beej,  aa-pey  hee  khaa-hu.
One reaps what they sow.

naa-nak,  huk-mee  aa-vahu  jaa-hu.  ||20||
(Guru) Nanak (Ji) says- in accordance with Vaheguru's Hukam (Divine-Law), one comes and goes in reincarnation. ||20||

tee-rath,  tap,  day-aa,  dat  daan.
Visiting blessed places, enduring devotion, compassion, and charity,

jey  ko  paa-vai,  til  kaa  maan.
by themselves, only bring short-lived reward.

suN-yaa,  mann-niyaa,  man  kee-taa  bhaa-o.
But by listening and following Vaheguru with love

ann'tar-gat  tee-rath,  mal  naa-o.
one purifies themselves in the sacred space deep within them.

sabh  guN  tey-rey,  mai  naa-hee  ko-e.
O Vaheguru! All virtues belong to You, non belong to me.

viN  guN  kee-tey,  bhagat  na  ho-e.
Without Your virtues, Your devotional worship cannot be performed.

su-ast  aath,  baa-Nee  bar-maa-o.
Glory to You! You are the world manifest, the Divine-Word, and the Creator.

sat,  su-haaN,  sad-aa  man  chaa-o.
You are True, Your creation is beautiful, and You fill the mind with forever joy!

kavaN  su vey-laa,  vakhat  kavaN, 
kavaN  thit,  kavaN  vaar.
What was that time, and what was that moment? What was that day, and what was that date?

kavaN  se  ru-tee,  maah  kavaN, 
jit  ho-aa  aa-kaar.
What was that season, and what was that month, when the creation came into existence?

vey'l  na  paa-ee-yaa  pann-dit-ee;
je, ho-vai ley’kh pu-raaN.
That time was not found by Hindu scholars, otherwise, they would have written a religious book (Puraan) about it.

vakhat  na  paa-yoh  kaa-dee-yaa, 
je,  likhan  ley’kh  ku-raaN.
That time is not known to the Muslim scholars, otherwise, they would have written something about it like they scribed copies of the Quran.

thit  vaar  naa  jo-gee  jaa-Nai, 
rut  maah  naa  ko-ee.
The day and the date are not known to any Yogi, nor does anyone else know the month or the season (that the creation came into existence).

jaa  kar-taa  sir-Thee  kau  saa-jey,
aa-pey  jaa-Nai  so-ee.
The Creator who created this creation – only They alone know (the time when the creation was created).

kiv  kar  aa-khaa,  kiv  saa-laahee,
ki-o  var-nee,  kiv  jaa-Naa.
How can we speak of Them? How can we praise Them? How can we describe Them? How can we know Them?

naa-nak,  aa-khaN  sabh  ko  aa-khai,
ik  doo  ikk  si-yaa-Naa.
(Guru) Nanak (Ji) says- everyone thinking they are wiser than the rest, speaks of Them.

v-daa  saahib,  v-dee  naa-ee,
kee-taa  jaa  kaa  ho-vai.
Great is the Master and Great is Their Name. Whatever They will, comes to happen.

naa-nak,  je  ko  aa-poh  jaa-Nai,
ag-gai  gayaa,  na  so-hai.  ||21||
(Guru) Nanak (Ji) says- One who claims to know everything will not be honoured in the next world. ||21||

paa-taalaa  paa-taal,  lakh,  aa-gaasaa  aa-gaas.
There are planets upon planets below this world, and hundreds of thousands of skies over skies.

oh-Rak  oh-Rak  bhaal thak-ey,
veyd  ke-han  ikk  vaat.
The Vedas say that you can search and search for them all until you grow weary.

s-hass  a-Thaa-reh,  ke-han  k-tey-baa,
a-su-loo  ikk  Dhaat.
The Abrahamic religious texts talk of 18,000 worlds whose source is the One Creator.

ley-khaa  ho-e,  ta  likhee-yai,
ley-khai  ho-e  vi-Naas.
If you try to write an account of this, you will surely finish yourself before you finish writing it.

naa-nak,  v-daa  aa-khee-yai,
aa-pey  jaa-Nai  aap.  ||22||
(Guru) Nanak (Ji) says- call Vaheguru Great! They Themselves knows Themself. ||22||

saa-laa-hee  saa-laa-eh, 
ey-tee  surat  na  paa-ee-yaa.
The praisers praise Vaheguru, but they have been unable to understand (how great They are);×

nadee-aa  at-ai  vaah,
pav-eh  samund  na  jaa-Nee-eh.
just as streams and rivers flowing into the ocean do not know how vast and great the ocean is.

samund  shaah  sul-taan, 
gir-haa  sey-tee  maal  Dhan.
Kings and emperors, with mountains of property and oceans of wealth

kee-Ree  tul  na  ho-vanee,
jey  tis  man-hu  na  vee-sar-eh.  ||23||
are not even equal to an ant who (praises Vaheguru and) never forgets Them. ||23||

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× The praisers of Vaheguru instead become absorbed into Them.

A beginner's guide to Japji Sahib: Pauri 17 to 19

 

a-sann’kh  jap,  a-sann’kh  bhaa-o.
(In the Creator's wondrous creation:) countless people meditate, and countless are those who love Vaheguru.

a-sann’kh  poo-jaa,  a-sann’kh  tap  taa-o.
Countless people practice worship, and countless people practice enduring devotion.

a-sann’kh  garanth,  mukh vey’d  paaTh.
There are countless scriptures and readers of the Vedas (ancient Hindu books).

a-sann’kh  joh’g,  man  reh-eh  u-daas.
Countless Yogis keep their minds detached from the world.

a-sann’kh  bhagat,  guN  gi-yaan  vee-chaar.
Countless devotees reflect on the virtues (qualities) and knowledge of Vaheguru.

a-sann’kh  sat-ee,  a-sann’kh  daa-taar.
Countless people live truthfully, and countless people give away in charity.

a-sann’kh  soor,  muh  bhakh  saar.
Countless brave warriors take on attacks in battle head-on.

a-sann’kh  moh’n,  liv  laa-e  taar.
Countless sages sit absorbed in continuous meditation.

kud-rat  kavaN,  k-haa  vee-chaar.
What power do I have to describe Your wonders?

vaar-yaa  na  jaa-vaa  ey’k  vaar.
Why don’t I fully devote myself to You all in one go?

jo  tuDh  bhaa-vai,  saa-ee  bhal-ee  kaar.
Whatever pleases You, that alone is good.

too  sad-aa  salaa-mat,  nirunn-kaar.  ||17||
O Formless One! (May I remember that) You alone are here forever! ||17||
However good and pious someone may be, appreciate them and take benefit of their company, but remember not to get attached to them, for God alone is forever.

a-sann’kh  moo-rakh,  ann’Dh  ghor.
(In the Creator's wondrous creation:) countless fools are completely spiritually blind.

a-sann’kh  chor,  haraam-khor.
Countless thieves wrongfully take what belongs to others.

a-sann’kh  amar,  kar  jaa-eh  jo’r.
Countless people forcefully impose their will on others.

a-sann’kh  gal-vaDh,  hath-yaa  kamaa-eh.
Countless people murder living beings by cutting throats.
The unnecessary killing of any living being that has a throat or neck, i.e. any animal or human, is considered an act of “fools who are completely spiritually blind” (‘asankh moorakh andh ghor’).â

a-sann’kh  paa-pee,  paap  kar  jaa-eh.
Countless sinners keep on sinning.

a-sann’kh  koo-Riyaar,  koo-Rey  firaa-eh.
Countless liars wander lost in their falsehood.

a-sann’kh  ma’leshh,  mal  bhakh  khaa-eh.
Countless filthy-uncivilised people speak and eat filth.

a-sann’kh  ninn-dak,  sir  kar-eh  bhaar.
Countless carry burden on their heads of slandering others.

naa-nak  neech  ke-hai  vee-chaar.
(Guru) Nanak (Ji) in humility gives this description.Ý

vaar-yaa  na  jaa-vaa  ey’k  vaar.
Why don’t I fully devote myself to You all in one go?

jo  tuDh  bhaa-vai,  saa-ee  bhal-ee  kaar.
Whatever pleases You, that alone is good.

too  sad-aa  salaa-mat,  nirunn-kaar.  ||18||
O Formless One! (May I remember that) You alone are here forever! ||18||
Do not get attached to negative or people who do bad, even if they are countless of them in the world. Remember, they are temporary, but God is forever.

a-sann’kh  naav,  a-sann’kh  thaav.
(In the Creator's wondrous creation:) Vaheguru Ji has countless names, and countless living places.
The positive examples of people in the 17^th verse (pauree) and the negative examples of people in the 18^th verse (pauree) can all be directly experienced in one’s life. However, this verse (pauree) refers to Vaheguru and those places which seem unreachable.

a-gamm  a-gamm,  a-sann’kh  lo^a.
Countless are Their created realms and worlds that are beyond human reach.

a-sann’kh  keh-eh,  sir  bhaar  ho-e.
To talk of ‘countlessness’ is a headache.
One is left with a headache and regret if one falsely claims they know everything about Vaheguru and the universe, but then later realises that the vastness of both is beyond their understanding.

akh-ree  naam,  akh-ree  saa-laah.
Meditation upon the Name of God is possible through words, and appreciation of God is possible through words.

akh-ree,  gi-yaan  geet  guN  gaah.
Learning spiritual wisdom and singing the songs of Vaheguru’s Praises are possible through words.

akh-ree,  likhaN  bo-laN  baaN.
Writing and speaking a language is possible through words.

akh-raa  sirr  sann-jog  v-khaaN.
The destiny written on one's forehead is explained through words by readers.

jin  ey-eh  likh-ey,  tis  sirr  naa-eh.
But the One who writes the destinies has nothing written on Their forehead.

jiv  furmaa-ey,  tiv  tiv  paa-eh.
As They ordain, so do we receive.

jey-taa  kee-taa,  tey-taa  naa-o.
All that has been created, has an identityÝ.

viN  naa-vai,  naa-hee  ko  thaa-o.
No place exists that is without an identity.

kud-rat  kavaN,  k-haa  vee-chaar.
What power do I have to describe Your wonders?

vaar-yaa  na  jaa-vaa  ey’k  vaar.
Why don’t I fully devote myself to You all in one go?

jo  tuDh  bhaa-vai,  saa-ee  bhal-ee  kaar.
Whatever pleases You, that alone is good.

too,  sad-aa  salaa-mat,  nirunn-kaar.  ||19||
O Formless One! (May I remember that) You alone are here forever! ||19||

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â For this reason, the diet of spiritually wise people is based on compassion and cruelty-free.

Ý The word 'neech' means 'low. However, in this context it refers to the 'humility' of Guru Nanak Ji. Even though Guru Nanak Ji is perfect and God-revealed on earth, he models humility and shows his disciples how to always remain humble in calling himself ‘low.'

Ý The word ‘naa-o’ in this line, and ‘naa-vai’ in this and the following line literally means ‘name.’ A name is a symbol for identification. Therefore, to better fit the context of these lines, the word ‘identity’ has been used.